National suit seeks to end computer ballot counting
From our weekly issue dated November 28, 2007
It was through an interest in Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul that Illinois Valley resident Rubie O’Dell became associated with a movement to require that primary election ballots be hand-counted.
She became acquainted with the National Clean Elections Lawsuits and We The People (WTP). They have filed lawsuits in all 50 states that if successful will end all machine or computer counting of ballots and thus require that all ballots be hand-counted.
The organization is led by New York attorney Robert Schultz and is dedicated to public awareness in the voting process. The lawsuits are based on the claim that all legal voters have the right to vote and have that vote properly counted.
The contention is that current ballot counting processes allow for the possibility of vote fraud.
“Once this lawsuit is filed, and accepted by the court after proof of service to all 50 states, no state can hold even a primary election until this matter is decided -- it will be decided by the First District Court in New York State,” said O’Dell.
She said that she became involved with the movement after hearing about it in Ron Paul Meetups. These are discussion forums sponsored by Paul supporters.
“The public must be able to see,” O’Dell said.
The suits are designed so that public viewing of ballot counting would be required and computer voting would be discontinued.
“Even computer scientists have said the computers are flawed,” O’Dell said.
The goal would be to establish locally based hand-counted ballot procedures similar to the vote-counting procedures established in many New England communities. These communities hand-count each ballot in town halls in full view of the public, O’Dell said.
“In the short-term,” she said, “I hope this helps Ron Paul’s candidacy, but in the long run, this lawsuit will help all of us make certain that our votes are counted, no matter who you vote for.”
Although Oregon uses paper ballots as opposed to computer voting, the ballots are machine-counted out of public view, according to O’Dell. Because of the lack of public involvement in the counting procedure she feels that it opens the door for possible election fraud.
She indicated that recent questions about fraudulent voting in presidential elections have substantiated her beliefs. She went on to say that her involvement with this grass-roots campaign has re-energized her politically.
“I wasn’t sure I was even going to vote,” she said. But through her involvement with the National Clean Elections lawsuit, she said she feels a new hope. She has even thrown her hat in the ring to seeking a delegate position to the Republican National Convention.
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